Emilie Singh, Virginia-District of Columbia
"When Chloe Saved Gracie’s Life"
It was a busy Sunday in 2013 and no one realized my 8 year old daughter Gracie wasn’t feeling well. She woke up late and asked to take a bath but we told her we wanted to go to Costco first. We went...

Diana Cook, North Carolina
As a veteran volunteer with the American Heart Association, Diana Cook has been involved in a myriad of ways with the organization over the years. As a Charlotte Heart Walk team leader, she led her work team several years in a row – and every year provided countless...

A special thanks to our guest writer, Dr.Sandra Burke of Charlotte, for her contributions to this story!
Recently, the American Heart Association in the Greater Charlotte Region had an excellent opportunity to share its Health Priorities with the newly named U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy...

Dr. Bob Blackburn, North Carolina
Dr. Blackburn started his career as a volunteer with the American Heart Association in 1973. In a nutshell, why did he get involved? He was working with students and saw the impact tobacco was taking on their lives. The tremendous need for our youth to have better...

We are excited to kick off 2015 in South Carolina! The 2015 session is expected to be eventful and productive. Please check out our legislative priorities below. We hope you will join us as we continue our exciting and life-saving work in the Palmetto State!
CPR Training in Schools - Require Hands...

We hope you’re as ready as we are to begin our 2015 session! On January 14 th, our state legislators were sworn in – and our full legislative session starts on January 28 th. We are so excited to begin a new year with our North Carolina advocates as we work to build a healthier NC. Here are...

Kendra Meiklejohn, Mid-Atlantic
My husband and I were so excited at the ultrasound to find out the sex of our second child. We had our son with us. We were joking and talking with the tech. She suddenly grew quiet. When the doctor came in and viewed the ultrasound, he was also very quiet. It didn’t...

On November 15th, the NC Advocacy Coordinating Committee held its fall/winter meeting. The committee undertook strategic planning for the 2015 session, heard presentations on healthy corner store initiatives and closing the coverage gap in our state, and set the calendar for upcoming advocacy events...

It has been an incredibly exciting year in the Mid-Atlantic Affiliate, full of policy advancement and growth in our You’re the Cure network. None of our success could have happened without the work of you, our many dedicated advocates.
We are thankful for you.
Our DC advocates worked hard...

We have a special opportunity from the NC Alliance for Health (NCAH), our statewide coalition advocating for obesity prevention and tobacco control policy change. The American Heart Association is a proud member of the NCAH.
NC Alliance for Health Healthy Food Access Training You are invited to an...

The 2014 Legislative Session in South Carolina was a lively one, allowing us to advance some vital pieces of legislation while providing us room to continue in 2015. Senate Bill 1094: School Nutrition Guidelines This would have required stronger nutritional guidelines for competitive foods sold on school...

Jennifer & Joel Griffin, Virginia
On June 8, 2012, Gwyneth Griffin, a 7th grader at A. G. Wright Middle School, collapsed in cardiac arrest. Several critical minutes passed before her father, Joel, reached her. CPR had not been initiated. “ There was no one else taking care of my daughter...

Sometimes you just need a lifesaver. Quickly. The American Heart Association is creating a generation of lifesavers by making sure students learn CPR before they graduate from high school. The goal is to teach lifesaving CPR skills to as many teens and young adults as possible in every state to help...

A twelve year old girl learned CPR in school on a Friday, and only 8 days later she used that lesson to save her grandfather’s life. A young man was shopping in a clothing store when a gentleman near him dropped to the ground. He sprang into action using CPR skills he had learned not long before...

With your help, we made it happen. Breanna’s Law is now official law in Maryland, and will ensure that all our high school students complete a hands-only CPR course before they graduate. This is cause for celebration!
Send a big thank you to your legislators !
Right now across our country...

Jodi Lemacks, Virginia
In June of 2003, my third child, Joshua, was born via c-section. Diagnosed with a Critical Congenital Birth Defect (CCHD) before birth, he was immediately whisked away to the hospital next door for his first of three open heart surgeries, without me even getting a glimpse of...

These are exciting times in VA! Governor McAuliffe has signed House Bill 387 and Senate Bill 183 into law, and pulse oximetry screening of all newborns will soon be the standard of care in Virginia. This new statewide policy will guarantee that each newborn in Virginia is tested for Critical Congenital...

Juddson Rupp, North Carolina
I didn’t remember anything from my week in the hospital, but when a friend brought in a copy of the six o’clock news from October 27, 2000 I quickly realized that either that was a slow news day or that I was one lucky miracle survivor with an important story...

If you are receiving DC Alliance, Medicaid and/or Medicare benefits, you might be wondering how the implementation of Health Care Reform (or Obamacare) affects you and your health insurance benefits.
You may be receiving calls or visits from people who are trying to get you to provide money or personal...

On November 1st, the American Heart Association (AHA) co-hosted a press conference to appauld D.C. City Council for the passage of the D.C. Telehealth Reimbursement Act of 2013. AHA strongly supported the D.C. Telehealth Reimbursement Act of 2013 introduced by Councilmember Mary Cheh. This bipartisan...

You’re the Cure advocate, Joe Vetter, has spent the last 12 years hearing from his wife, Betsy Vetter (NC AHA Sr. Director of Government Relations) about the risk factors and warning signs of heart attack and stroke. What Joe could not have told you before July 29 th , was just how relevant Betsy’s...

I'm Joye Mullis. Four and a half years ago, while sitting beside my infant son’s incubator in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Duke University Medical Center, I could have never imagined his story playing out quite like it has. Not only has Ethan endured multiple surgeries and procedures...

Is your local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system ready? If the EMS vehicle responding to your 9-1-1 call has a 12-lead ECG machine on board, they can diagnose the most severe form of heart attack right on the scene. More EMS in Virginia will have this life-saving equipment because of funding You’re...

For this legislative update, we have some exciting news regarding one of our top federal legislative priorities, National Institutes of Health Funding. At the state level, we have been very busy seeing positive movement on our top issues. As always, thank you for your efforts and please stay tuned to...

On Monday January 14 th , health advocates and Greenville area lawmakers were treated to a presentation and tour of Vidant Medical Center’s Primary Stroke Center (PSC). You’re the Cure advocate, nurse practitioner and neurosciences administrator, Susan Freeman led the program providing everyone...